VANCOUVER - Looking to extend the four-game winning streak that they're currently riding, the UBC Thunderbirds women's basketball team are set to host the Regina Cougars this weekend in a two-game series.
 
Opening tip-off for the first contest is set for 6:00 p.m. (PT) on Friday, January 22, while the second is scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. (PT) start on Saturday, January 23. Both games will be played at War Memorial Gym.
 
The 'Birds are coming off of two convincing wins in Winnipeg, dispatching of the Manitoba Bisons on the road in two very different, but equally effective ways.
 
Last Friday's showdown with Manitoba saw UBC forward Kara Spotton, the team's leading scorer through the first half of the season with an average of 18.9 points per game, hit a new level of dominance.
 
The fourth-year forward from Fort Collins, Colo., notched 38 points against the Bisons on Friday night, 21 of which came in a school record-breaking first quarter that saw Spotton outscore Manitoba by herself 21-12. On the back of Spotton's otherworldly showing, the 'Birds cruised to a 80-64 win.
 
The rematch between the two Canada West foes didn't go as well for the visitors from Point Grey. The 'Birds shot just 30.8% from the field during Saturday's contest, with fifth-year forward Adrienne Parkin's 4-for-9 (44%) the best individual performance among forwards with at least five shot attempts. However, the 'Birds earned a 64-54 win despite their shooting troubles, on the back of one thing: grit.
 
The Blue and Gold got to the charity 27 times in the second game against Manitoba, compared to just six times for the Bisons. The T-Birds showed some impressive physicality inside, and the 20 points they earned from the resulting free throws made the difference.
 
The 'Birds are going to need combine that physicality and the sharp shooting ability that they have flashed at times this season, if they're going to stand a chance against Regina. The Cougars have only dropped a single game this season, a 70-63 loss to Alberta, and have been on an absolute tear ever since.
 
In the four wins since, Regina has been scoring 80.25 points per game, while allowing an average of 53.75 points against. That differential of 36.5 points-per-game would rank first amongst Canada West schools if extrapolated for a full season.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim returns to Vancouver for T-Birds basketball game

 
The Bell NBA All-Star Challenge presented by AIR MILES is making its way across Canada ahead of the 2016 NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, and on Saturday, January 23, the competition will make its way to UBC's Point Grey campus. Saturday's festivities, culminating with the Thunderbirds men's and women's double-header against the Regina Cougars, will be headlined by an  appearance by former Vancouver Grizzlies icon Shareef Abdur-Rahim, an NBA skills competition, and NBA dancers. The NBA will be rolling out the full big-league experience at War Memorial Gym during the two Thunderbird basketball games, as sponsors Bell, Samsung, BMO, and AIR MILES will be doling out prizes, giveaways amidst a host of interactive exhibits and performances.